Nigerian actor, Chinedu Ikedieze aka Aki, has opined enthusiastic Gen Z Nollywood actors created the social media phrase “Old Nollywood vs. New Nollywood” in an effort to establish their dominance.
He made this claim while a guest on the most recent episode of the TeaTalk podcast, which is hosted by actress Toke Makinwa Ikedieze. He claimed that Gen Z performers are always attempting to project an image of themselves as “the best” and “Hollywood standard.”
He said, “There’s this thing now, Old Nollywood and New Nollywood. It’s absurd. I think the Gen Zs in Nollywood are trying to make it look like, ‘Oh! We’re the latest. We’re the Hollywood standards. We’re the best. We know it all.”
However, Comedian Bovi, who was also a guest on the program, disagreed with him on his opinion about Gen Z Nollywood actors.
He said, “It’s not even just them [Gen Z]. Let me tell you one thing that is common. I think it’s general in Nigeria but let me speak on the entertainment industry. Those before tend to look down on newcomers. They would be like, ‘Who’s this? Me, I’ve been in this business. I’m an aunty. She just came and said hi. Who’s this guy? He can’t behave himself. Does he know how long you’ve been doing it?’
“They [older actors] have been doing that. The reason many of us are relating with people like you [Ikedieze] is because when we came into the industry, you didn’t snub us. But the a***holes that are out there… We know them. And now they act all cool.
“So, it’s not just a Gen Z thing, the Old Nollywood, there are many of them who have seniority complexes.”
